Clint Bentley
Clint Bentley | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1985 Florida, United States |
| Alma mater | Stetson University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2016–present |
Clint Bentley (born January 1, 1985) is an American film director and screenwriter. His directorial credits include Jockey (2021) and Train Dreams (2025). For his work as a screenwriter, Bentley was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sing Sing (2023).
Early life and education
Bentley was born on a cattle ranch in Florida.[1] He attended Stetson University and graduated in 2008.[2][3]
Career
As a screenwriter
In 2016, Bentley made his feature screenwriting debut with Transpecos, a film that follows U.S. border patrol agents who uncover a Mexican drug cartel plot. The script was co-written with director Greg Kwedar, who would ultimately become Bentley's long-time filmmaking partner.[3]
In 2023, Bentley was the co-writer and a producer for Sing Sing, a film based on the RTA program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. At the 97th Academy Awards, the script, co-written with director Kwedar, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.[4]
As a director
In 2021, Bentley made his feature directorial debut with Jockey, inspired by his late father, who was a jockey and horse trainer.[5] The film premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize for Best Actor for Clifton Collins Jr.[6] After its debut, the film was acquired and distributed by Sony Picture Classics.
In 2025, Bentley directed Train Dreams, a film based on Denis Johnson's 2011 Pulitzer Prize-finalist novella, with a screenplay co-written by himself and Kwedar.[7] It premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and was distributed by Netflix with a limited theatrical release. The film received critical acclaim, and picked up nominations for Best Feature and Best Adapted Screenplay for the upcoming 35th Gotham Film Awards.[8]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Transpecos | No | Yes | Yes | Co-written with Greg Kwedar |
| 2021 | Jockey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-written with Kwedar |
| 2023 | Sing Sing | No | Yes | Yes | Co-written with Kwedar |
| 2025 | Train Dreams | Yes | Yes | No | Co-written with Kwedar |
References
- ^ "Dallas Screenwriter Clint Bentley's Emotional Journey to Sing Sing". Dallas Observer. 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
- ^ "'Train Dreams' Co-Writers Weren't Going to Watch Their Oscar Nominations for 'Sing Sing,' Then Decided: 'Don't Be an Idiot' | Stetson University". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ^ a b Gomez-Misserian, Gabriela (2022-02-04). "Get to Know Jockey Director—and Florida Native—Clint Bentley". Garden & Gun. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ^ Blyth, Antonia (2025-02-13). "The Partnership: 'Sing Sing' Filmmakers Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley On The True Story That Changed Them Forever & Their Plan To Save Independent Film". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
- ^ Cohen, Jason (2022-02-17). "The Human Cost of Horse Racing". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
- ^ "Clint Bentley - Sundance Collab". collab.sundance.org. Archived from the original on 2025-09-05. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
- ^ Simon, Scott (2025-11-15). "Director and co-writer Clint Bentley talks about his film, 'Train Dreams'". NPR. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (2025-10-28). "Gotham Film Awards Nominations: 'One Battle After Another' Leads With a Record Six Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-11-29.